Inu no Maigo
by AriaBelikov
Summary: After a particularly hard battle with Naraku InuYasha is injured and Kagome is forced to return to her era permanently and the well is sealed without InuYasha's knowledge. Four years later Kikyo has joined the Inu tachi to help locate the shards of the jewel. One day InuYasha comes to the bone eater's well where he finds a surprise he'd never expected. Rated T
1. The Hanyo's Broken Heart

Chapter one:

The Hanyo's Broken Heart

Chapter Vocabulary:

Miko- Priestess

Hanyo- Half Demon

Inuhanyo- Half Dog Demon

Yokai- Demon

Oshinboku- Sacred Tree

Inu no Maigo- Story's title; Lost Child of the Dog

* * *

><p>"I don't see why I can't come with you wench!" The hanyo growled as he sat on his sleeping mat as he watched Kagome get her things together to return to her time.<p>

Kagome Higurashi turned and gave the silver haired hanyo a stern glare.

"InuYasha you have three puncture wounds in you torso and gashes everywhere else. You need to rest and listen to Kaede." InuYasha being the stubborn half demon that he is crossed his arms and proceeded to go into pout mode.

"As if Naraku can seriously hut me!" He said. "I'll be healed in the next few days."

Kagome giggled as she came over and kissed his cheek.

"I'll be back in a few hours. Please listen to Kaede and take care of yourself." She said and InuYasha felt his cheeks heat up as the blood flooded them and turned them a soft pink color.

"Just hurry up and come back." He said as he looked up at her.

Two weeks ago InuYasha had finally decided who was more important to him. The hanyo decided he'd rather live with a woman that loved him for himself rather then go to hell with a woman that wanted him to change for her.

InuYasha had mated Kagome a mere two weeks ago and he had never been happier.

Kagome laughed at his impatience and promised that she'd bring him back lots of Ramen to make up for leaving him in the village bed reddened.

As the miko left InuYasha sighed and resigned himself to the almost agonizing wait for his mate's return so to pass the time he lay back down and closed his eyes to sleep until his life mate came home.

(Kagome)

Kagome made her way through the forest of InuYasha toward the bone eater's well.

The young miko from the future was lost in thought as she walked but her spiritual senses subconsciously reached out to scan for potentially hostile Yokai but found none since her mate kept the area around the village relatively demon free.

Kagome mentally went through her shopping list as she walked but it was another thought that kept her mind in a whirlwind.

_I should probably ask mom for some birth control pills._

Since InuYasha was an inuhanyo, he had dog like instincts and apparently dogs were very… affectionate.

Kagome felt the burning in her cheeks as she remembered just how active her and InuYasha had been since he had asked her to be his mate.

With Yokai, all that was really needed was a mate mark of some kind during the actual act of love making, or mating as InuYasha put it. Since their first night together InuYasha had taken every opportunity to be alone with her and she would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy it but she would also be an idiot if she got pregnant while they were hunting Naraku.

_I just hope mom doesn't blow up on me._

Kagome knew her mother loved InuYasha but she didn't think she'd be too happy about her sixteen year old daughter being sexually active with a nearly three hundred year old half demon.

When Kagome made it to the clearing she felt a diabolical aura brush against her own and she looked around trying to find the source. She found nothing.

Just as the feeling came it left and was replaced by a warm aura and the sweet smell of women's perfume.

Though the malevolent aura had left for the time being Kagome didn't feel safe there alone so she quickly made her way into the well and disappeared from the feudal age.

After the girl was gone a pale man dressed in a dark Kimono in he style of a lord appeared from the shadows. He walked up to the well and look inside.

"So she escaped." He said.

"You can never reach her now." A soft yet strong voice spoke from behind the man.

He turned to see a woman dressed in the clothes of a princess from the Heian period of two hundred and fifty years ago. She had long black hair that reached the ground and her dark blue eyes sparkled with a mother's desire to protect her children.

The man smiled. "You forget my lady that we Yokai have abnormally long life spans. I will find her in the future and you can not haunt her for the next five hundred years. Soon you will be forced to be reincarnated and she'll be defenseless."

The woman glared at the Yokai.

"I will stay as long as I am needed. I won't allow you to hurt my family."

The demon laughed as he was overcome by the shadows. "We'll see what the mere shade of a mortal woman can do against the Lord of Shadows. Until next time Lady Izayoi."

Lady Izayoi approached the well and looked down into it's depths. She hated what she had to do but her son had already lost too much. She could only hope that Lord Sesshomaru would be able to defeat the demon that had dared threaten an innocent woman and the man that loved her and then the girl could return.

Yes she could return with the gift she now carried.

* * *

><p>(InuYasha)<p>

InuYasha woke from a light slumber and as he sat up his nose took in the scents around him. The scent he hoped to find strongest was the one that was weakest.

_Damn wench, _he thought irritably. _She said she wouldn't be long._

The hanyo stood up from the mate and was pleased to find his wounds had nearly healed and didn't hurt nearly as bad as they had earlier.

He the made his way outside, his chest still wrapped with the bandages. He looked up to the sky. The sun had begun to set and the sky seemed to almost be on fire with the vibrant reds and oranges

Then he looked around and find Miroku and Sango sitting with the fox kit, Shippo, by the small stream in front of Kaede's hut.

The three seemed to be in deep conversation and hadn't noticed his approach.

"I went to check but didn't find anything." Miroku said.

"You didn't find what monk?" InuYasha asked as he stood behind his friends. The trio jumped and turned to look up at the half demon then to each other.

It was Sango that answered.

"Earlier we felt a strange aura." The slayer informed the silver haired youth. "Miroku went to investigate but he didn't find anything out of the ordinary. Kagome had just gone through the portal when he got there."

"But just to be safe we were thinking it might be a good idea if you were to go to escort lady Kagome back from her time."

InuYasha nodded his head at the monk's words and decided to head to his mate's time. If there was something lurking he didn't want the young miko to be unprotected.

When the half demon made it to the clearing that housed the bone eater's well he began to feel nervous in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right but he just as the feelings came he was encased in a sweet scent that seemed so familiar yet he couldn't place it. Like a dream he had had long ago but couldn't remember.

InuYasha shook it off and returned his attention to the well.

This well had brought him so much happiness. It had brought him his mate and given him a future worth fighting for.

Smiling as he thought of the woman that he loved with all his heart and soul, InuYasha jumped into the well to be encased in the blue light of time travel only to feel the unforgiving packed earth of the well's bottom.

_What… What happened? _ InuYasha wondered in dumb confusion. Why hadn't he gone through?

_The well is… no it couldn't be!_

InuYasha jumped out of the well only to leap back into its depths and meet the same end.

"No." he whimpered as he began to desperately dig hoping to find some way to reach the other side where his mate, the woman that held his heart in the palm of his hands, resided. He had to reach her!

But yet he couldn't.

"No, no, no, NO, NO, NO!" He yelled as he began to beat the ground with his fists.

"OPEN DAMN YOU! NO! KAGOMEEEE!"

Once the hanyo's energy was spent he lay at the bottom, whimpers escaping him as he tried to figure out how this could have happened. How he could have lost her.

_Nothing is different. _He thought as any and all possibilities went through his mind. _ The shards are still scattered, the jewel hasn't been purified from the world. The only thing truly different is that Kagome and I are…_

His eyes widened as his mind provided the answer.

_She sealed the well. That has to be it. She sealed the well because she doesn't want me…_

As the thought flickered through his mind the memories rushed in and he relived every instance of his childhood when he had been scorned, ridiculed, beaten for being what he was. He had grown up unwanted by everyone but his mother, even Kikyo had wished for him to change for her.

He thought that he had finally found someone who loved him for him but now that he could no longer reach her his insecurities rose to the surface.

As the pain in his heart began to build to a painful crescendo he howled his grief to the night sky.

_When had it gotten dark? _He idled wondered yet couldn't find it in him to care his world had crashed and burned and his life had lost its color.

Now nothing mattered.

She was gone.

At the top of the well the ghostly figure of Lady Izayoi watched as her son howled his pain to the world.

The noble second lady of the west felt her heart break as she witnessed the pain her child was being put through but she could not regret her decision to seal the well.

She only hoped she could make it up to her sweet InuYasha and reunite him with his beloved when the threat had passed.

* * *

><p>(A Week Later)<p>

InuYasha found himself at the Oshinboku. He was waiting for someone he wasn't sure he really wanted to see. It had been a week since the well was sealed and his life mate was lost to him.

He sat at the base of the tree where he had once died and then been reborn. Where he had lost one woman he cared for and found another.

As he stared at the scar left in the tree's bark he became aware of the presence of the one he waited for.

"InuYasha, you sent for me?"

The hanyo turned around to find the woman he had once loved and the woman that had betrayed him. This woman was also his mate's past life.

He flinched internally at her resemblance to his Kagome but he sucked it up. He had a mission and it needed to be finished and he needed this woman's help.

So he put up his mask and spoke.

"Hello Kikyo."

* * *

><p>AN: So I have decided to rewrite this story and I believe it will be a lot better this was. I promise no more deleting or rewrites unless I go in a fix major grammar and spelling. Thanks for your patience and I hope this story doesn't disappoint.

Rumiko Takahashi (SP?) owns InuYasha but the storyline is all mine. Thanks. You see that pretty review box? You know you wanna click on it.

-AriaBelikov


	2. Little Girl in the Well

Chapter Two:

Little Girl in the Well

Chapter Vocabulary:

Heian Period: the Heian period was the period in which InuYasha was born which was two hundred years before the anime's time period.

Juni-hitoe- Twelve layered Kimono worn by Princesses or Himes.

Honekui no ido: Bone Eater's Well

* * *

><p>(The Modern Era)<p>

A little girl sat under the Oshinboku and cried as an ambulance drove away from the shrine in which she had been born and raised for the first three years of her life its lights flashed red in the darkness of the late hour.

The child had black hair that went down to her mid back and brown eyes speckled with gold. On her left wrist she had a bracelet made of red and white glass beads that shimmered in the moonlight as she hid her face in her arms.

The ambulance held her mother and the premedical team no doubt where trying to save the woman's life.

_It's all my fault mommy got hurt._ The girl thought as she sat under the tree where her mother use to tell her the story of the half demon hero that had been sealed there five hundred years ago.

For some reason the tree always gave her comfort when she was scared or sad.

The child looked up and eyed the shadows as they danced with the trees as the wind blew.

The shadows had always haunted her. There were times her mother had to used her spiritual powers to protect her from the darkness that threatened to over come her and steal her away and it was for this reason her mother was barely hanging on to life.

_Mommy I'm sorry!_ Puppy like whimpers began to come from the girl as she began to shake in fear and despair but they stopped when a soft hand touched the girl's head.

She looked up to see a beautiful woman dressed in the traditional Juni-hitoe of a princess of the Heian age of Japan. The woman was slightly transparent but she had a kind smile.

The princess kneeled down in front of the girl and brushed her raven hair from the girl's face.

"What ails you little one?" She asked and the girl wiped her eyes on her pink nightgown.

"Mommy got hurt because the bad shadows tried to take me away." The child whimpered and the woman brought her to cuddle into her side.

Izayoi looked down at the child as she cried into her kimono.

_That foul demon has proven very cunning._ The spirit looked to the well.

_There is no choice._

The ghost stood and held her hand out to the frightened child.

"Come little one." The girl stood and took the spirit's hand.

"Where are we going?" she asked as the specter lead her to the Honekui no ido.

"I am taking to a place where you will be safe. There is someone there that can protect you from the Yokai that hunts you."

Once the two entered the well house the princess picked the child up and they leapt into the well and for the first time in four years the well was illuminated with the bright light of time travel.

When the light dissipated the well was empty and the two were no more.

* * *

><p>(The Next Day- InuYasha)<p>

It was early evening when InuYasha's group made it to the village that bordered InuYasha's forest.

To say that the village was a sight for sore eyes was an understatement. For the past three almost four years the group and been in a constant state of cold war with one another.

When InuYasha had brought Kikyo into the group a week after the well had been sealed the others had been angry with him. Sango had accused him of sending Kagome home so he could be with the undead miko instead of the young girl from the future.

InuYasha had object loudly to the accusations and said things he'd regretted almost instantly but his pride would not allow him to take his words back.

Shippo, like wise, had called InuYasha a lying, two-timer and accused the hanyo of breaking one of the most sacred laws among canine demons. The law to honor your mate with loyalty and devotion.

InuYasha had very nearly strangled the kit.

Miroku on the other hand had understood InuYasha's decision and had accepted it with a little reluctance.

The only reason he had been so understanding and non-judgmental was because the monk and found InuYasha in the well as he lamented his lost partner.

The half demon had explained his belief that Kagome had left and sealed the well because she regretted giving herself to a 'filthy half breed.'

InuYasha had even come to the monk and informed him that he intended to ask Kikyo to join the group and help them find the shards in Kagome's place. That was the only one of Kagome's duties that InuYasha would allow the undead miko to full fill.

Inu Yokai and Inu hanyo were fiercely loyal to their mates and though in InuYasha's mind Kagome had deserted him he would not take another woman even for a single night. It was against his nature and his honor and perhaps there was a part of him that still prayed his lover would return to him.

The half demon's continued desire for the young woman irritated Kikyo. She had hoped when the half demon came to her he had chosen to be with her and thrown her copy to the side. But alas that was not the case and she was forced to watch as the hanyo who owed her his life pinned away for a girl that, in her opinion, wasn't worth it.

And to add fuel to the fire they had been in constant search of Naraku who had gone into hiding yet again along with his half of the jewel.

So to say the group was happy to see the village once again was an understatement. As his pack walked into Kaede's hut InuYasha looked over toward the direction of the well something was there calling him.

InuYasha had tried everyday for the first year and a half to get through the well and had never succeeded. He finally gave up near the end of last year but he visited the well every few days hoping Kagome had decided to return to him. She never appeared.

InuYasha stalked away from the village allowing his instincts to guide him until he came to the cursed structure that he both despised but protected with everything he had. As he stood a few feet from the well the same scent that had flooded his senses the day Kagome left did so once more.

"What is that?" he wondered aloud. "Where have I smelled this scent before?"

As he contemplated the scent images of his mother flashed through his mind.

"That's right, mother wore a perfume similar to this."

InuYasha was pulled from his thoughts when he heard the soft whimpering of a pup coming from the well.

_What was that? _InuYasha wondered as he came to peer into the well's depths.

There curled in a corner of the well was a little girl with raven hair dressed in pink. She appeared human but her scent told him that she was in fact a child of inu yokai blood.

InuYasha looked around but found no one that the girl could belong to so he leapt into the dormant well and crouched before the pup.

She was curled in a ball and her cheeks had dried tear tracks on them. The stale scent of salt permeated the well.

_Kid must have gone through hell._

InuYasha's ears flattened against his skull in sadness and sympathy.

He knew what this child was in for, the kind of fate she would endure.

Maybe that's why he felt the overwhelming impulse to take the pup and never let another thing hurt her.

And so InuYasha picked the girl up and she pressed her tiny body to his chest in her sleep as she searched out his warmth.

It was fall and winter wasn't too far off. The pup was dressed in only a thin pink dress so no doubt she was freezing.

InuYasha looked up at the rapidly darkening sky.

"How did you get down here pup?" He questioned the sleeping child then he shook his head and decided that he had a pretty good idea. He then jumped from the well and moved to return to the village with his precious cargo clutched to his chest.

When InuYasha entered the hut his friends turned to face him.

They all noticed the girl nestled protectively in his arms but it was Shippo that voiced their questions.

"Hey InuYasha where did that little girl come from?" the half demon didn't answer as he moved to sit with his back to the back wall of the hut.

"Oh I see," Miroku said as he eyed the hanyo and child with a lecherous grin. "InuYasha we had no idea you had it in you my friend. So who was the lucky woman?"

InuYasha's eye twitched as he glared at the monk. "Sango would you mind?" he growled.

"Gladly." She said as she punched the monk in the back of the head.

"Ow!" the purple and black clad man yelped as he rubbed his head.

"I was only joking!"

"Feh," InuYasha scoffed then looked to the still sleeping child.

"She's a hanyo." He explained irritably. "I found her in the bone eater's well. Kid was almost frozen solid."

Kikyo eyed the girl. There was something strange about her. She could sense the demonic power that came with being of Yokai blood but she could also detect the unmistakable aura of suppressed spiritual powers. This girl had the ability to be a powerful priestess despite her demon blood.

But though Kikyo sensed this she said not a word.

"You found her in well, InuYasha?" the dead priestess asked. The hanyo looked to her with a guarded look in his golden eyes and nodded yes to the miko's question.

"Someone must have dumped her there or she jumped in to hide from something bigger then herself."

The occupants of the hut where silent for a few minutes then Kaede stood and went to get some blankets and brought them to the silver haired man.

"Here InuYasha ye should wrap the child in these blankets." InuYasha nodded and took the blankets and laid them out on the floor next to him.

"The young lass should wake up in the morning refreshed and we can hear the truth from her own lips."

InuYasha nodded and laid the child down on the sleeping mat he had made and covered her with a blanket.

As the night went on InuYasha sat and watched the girl sleep. She had dirt smudged on her little cherub face and she sucked her thumb as she dreamed.

There was something in her appearance that seemed so familiar to him but he couldn't place it.

Shrugging off the thought the hanyo closed his eyes and allowed himself to be pulled into a light sleep.

* * *

><p>And here is chapter two!<p>

So thank you Princess Mirkwood2 for your review. I hope to have the first five original chapters written in the next two days.

Rumiko Takahashi owns InuYasha and co and anyone from the series in this story. Thanks again and please review!


	3. Enter: Inuko

Chapter Three:

Enter Inuko

Chapter Vocabulary:

Ningen- Human

Koinu- Puppy

Kitsune- Fox

**InuYasha's Demon Side speaking**

**_InuYasha's Demon side in InuYasha's head_**

_InuYasha thinking or speaking with his human and Yokai sides_

_InuYasha's Human side inside InuYasha's head_

* * *

><p>InuYasha was woken from his light sleep by something crawling into his lap. He looked to the window to find the sun had just began to rise over the horizon then he looked to his lap to find the inu pup he had found in the well yawn as she fell back to sleep now curled in his lap.<p>

As he gazed down at the child something stirred in the back of his mind. He had the same feel as the few times he had lost control of his demon blood except it didn't try to overpower him the way it had before. InuYasha took hold of the Tessiga, his father's fang, as a precaution.

He didn't want the girl to be frightened by him or worse killed.

It had been almost four years since his yokai had tried to surface. After he had mated Kagome it had come to the surface like this often but instead of trying to take the hanyo's body over and kill mercilessly it had only wanted to be close to it's mate.

Kagome had been the one thing that both his human heart and demon blood had agreed on. His yokai as well as his ningen side of his soul had shared the love that InuYasha had felt for the modern teen. That was what Myouga had believed that kept him from completely losing control and after he had mated Kagome the two sides of InuYasha had worked in harmony to keep lover safe.

After Kagome disappeared InuYasha's two natures had been at war ever since. His Yokai refused to believe its mate would betray him but the human feared that Kagome had decided that she deserved more then half a man.

Now as InuYasha studied the child he could feel strong need to keep the girl safe it was almost an instinct and his demon began to whisper.

**_Pup frightened. _**InuYasha stiffened when he heard the deep and rough voice of his Yokai in his mind. His demon half always sounded like he was constantly talking through a perpetual growl.

**_Sooth her!_** He snarled at him.

_What the hell am I suppose to do?! _ InuYasha snapped back. _She's asleep. What the hell is your problem anyway?_

Another snarl echoed through my mind and InuYasha gave a nearly silent growl at his Yokai's pushy behavior and gently picked the girl up and held her to his chest.

As she was moved the pup whined in protest and shifted to her head was against his heart and she clung to his shirt in her sleep. InuYasha was relieved when the scent of fear disappeared from her scent.

And so InuYasha held the little innocent as the sun rose and the others began to wake.

Kaede was the first to wake up and as she went about getting the morning meal fixed she turned to find InuYasha leaning against the hut wall while holding the little one he had found against his chest. He held her like a newborn with one hand supporting the child's bottom and the other supporting her back as she slept to the tune of the hanyo's beating heart.

_Hmmm,_ Kaede thought as she eyed the two inu hanyos. _It seems InuYasha is becoming attached to the child._

"What are you staring at hag?" The half demon asked grumpily.

Kaede stared blankly. "Must ye speak to an old woman thus?"

"Feh," InuYasha scoffed as he turned his attention to the babe he held.

"I don't believe I've ever seen ye so gentle InuYasha." Kaede said as she put the morning broth on to cook.

Again InuYasha scoffed but he did not relinquish his hold on the small body in his grasp.

"She's a kid all alone in the world." InuYasha said sadly. "If I won't care for her then who will?"

Kaede nodded in agreement. "I know ye don't like to speak of Kagome but mayhap ye are so attached to the child because he wish to have someone to protect once more."

InuYasha glared at the woman and tightened his hold earning a small whine from the pink bundle in his arms.

"Kagome ain't got nothing to do with this so drop it!" he said. The hanyo wasn't comfortable speaking of Kagome. She had broken his heart and now that she was gone he thought of her in a similar way he thought of his mother. He never spoke of her and he became defensive when she was brought up.

As the morning progressed the others woke. Kikyo, like her sister, noticed the pup that InuYasha clutched to his chest. But unlike Kaede she looked on with disapproval but she said nothing.

Sango and Miroku gave InuYasha looks of approval and soft smiles.

"Hey InuYasha!"

The hanyo quickly bopped the Kitsune on the head so his shouting wouldn't waken the pup.

"Be quiet you little pest." He growled and then picked Shippo up by his collar and brought the kit up nose to nose with him.

"You wake this kid up and she starts screaming you're going to deal with her."

Shippo quickly nodded his head as sweat began to drip down his face.

"Mommy?"

The soft voice redirected the attention of everyone in the hut to the child that was now wiping the sleep from her eyes and yawning.

When the girl looked up at InuYasha he was taken aback at her eyes. They were a rich chocolate brown color with specks of golden amber.

Just as the girl entranced InuYasha he fascinated her. He seemed familiar to her or more likely his scent was familiar. He smelled like the summer grass and oak trees and his aura felt strong and safe.

"Hi," the girl said. "I'm Inuko. Are you the man the pretty lady told me about?"

InuYasha was surprised with the ease the girl spoke to him, a stranger, with no fear what so ever. The hanyo didn't know anything about a lady that would tell the child of him.

"Uh," the hanyo started but was interrupted by the girl. "Do you know my mommy?" InuYasha blinked.

"Uh no kid I don't think I do."

Inuko tilted her head to the side. "Oh. What's your name mister?"

InuYasha gave a soft smirk at the girl. "I'm InuYasha."

Inuko blinked and gave a look of deep concentration.

"You're name sounds like mine!" she said happily.

Then the girl looked very irritated. "But it's hard to say… I'm going to call you Koinu! That's what mommy calls me sometimes."

The majority of the group in the hut chuckled at the child's new nickname for their hanyo friend. Even Kikyo gave a humor filled smile while Shippo rolled on the floor laughing.

InuYasha, on the other hand, was staring at the girl unsure if he should reprimand her for the ridiculous nickname or let it go.

_Puppy? _InuYasha thought. _Why did it have to be puppy?_

"Well she's rather friendly, unlike a certain warped hanyo we all know." Miroku said good naturedly as he came to stand next to the hanyos and get a better look at this Inuko.

Inuko looked curiously at the man that had come to sit by her and Koinu. The older hanyo glared at the monk for his comment but said nothing.

"Hello there Inuko my name is Miroku." The monk held his hand out to the little girl. "It's nice to meet you."

Inuko stared at the monk and studied him.

He had a kind smile and dark blue eyes. Dressed in the black and purple robes of a Buddhist monk he looked very nice and trustworthy to the child.

So Inuko smiled. "Hi!"

Sango spoke up next.

"I'm Sango." The demon slayer said from where she sat and Inuko looked over toward her. "How old are you Inuko?"

Inuko frowned and looked at her fingers.

"I'm this many." She said holding up three fingers. Suddenly the pup's nose began to twitch as the smell of food reached her. She jumped up and walked over to the older woman who was getting the bowls ready for the hut's occupants.

The little girl looked at the Kaede shyly and then to the hut as the others watched the child wondering what she was doing.

"Um, excuse me." Inuko said as she glanced at the stew. Kaede smiled at the hanyo.

"Aye lass want can I do for ye?" Inuko opened her mouth to speak but her stomach spoke for her as it growled alerting the others to her hunger.

Inuko blushed as she looked down at her belly.

Kaede laughed. "I take it that ye are hungry." Kaede said as she got a smaller bowel and poured her some soup. "Here child, careful it's hot."

Inuko smiled as she took the soup.

"Thank you ma'am." She said as she turned and patted over toward InuYasha with her bare feet hitting the woodened floor softly.

The raven haired girl sat next to InuYasha who was soon given his food and she carefully sipped the soup.

"Hmm yummy." Inuko said as she ate half the soup in her bowel.

As everyone finished eating it was Kikyo that broke the silence.

"So little hanyo," the clay woman began. "Where is your village?"

Inuko looked to Kikyo and felt an ominous feeling. As if the woman cared very little for her and so Inuko moved closer to the elder hanyo sensing that he was the stronger of the two and could protect her.

"Um I don't know." She said shyly as she attempted to hide her face in InuYasha's arm.

Kikyo seemed to become angry by the child's answer but she kept it from her voice.

"What of your mother what is her name?"

Inuko blinked.

"Mommy?" she answered as if the answer was obvious.

Kikyo glared at the child but was stopped from speaking again by InuYasha.

InuYasha had noticed that Kikyo was getting frustrated with the child and didn't really care if the girl felt safe around her or not. This was such a difference in the miko considering she loved children and often played and cared for them.

"Kikyo can I talk to you outside?" he asked her as he stood.

Kikyo consented and followed the half demon.

Once they were outside InuYasha turned on his past lover.

"What are you doing?" he asked her.

"I'm trying to get answers surely you don't think we can keep her!"

InuYasha scowled at the miko as his Yokai snarled.

**_Pup will stay! Pup must stay!_**

InuYasha ignored the voice of his more animalistic side and turned his attention the situation at hand.

"Kikyo I found her in the bone eater's well, the place where people dump the corpses of demons. If she had people that gave a damn about her do you think she'd have been in a place like that?" he growled allowing the instinctive desire to protect the pup to take full control of his senses.

Kikyo glared at the hanyo.

_Ever since that little tramp disappeared InuYasha has been resisting me._ Kikyo thought angrily.

"InuYasha we can't have a toddler under foot while we hunt for the shards." Kikyo tried to reason with the hanyo but he was a stubborn one and refused to listen.

"Then we leave her here but I'm not sending her back to a place where people threw her in a well to die!"

the pair was silent for a moment before the hanyo broke the said silence.

"What's the real reason you don't want the pup with us?" he asked sternly.

"Is it because she's hanyo, like me?"

Kikyo scoffed. "InuYasha if that was the problem then I wouldn't have agreed to join you in looking for the shards."

InuYasha sneered. "Yeah but you still intend to drag me to hell after Naraku's death. You have no way to get rid of Inuko's demon blood."

Kikyo's eyes widened and then she glared at the half demon.

InuYasha was finished with the conversation.

"Inuko stays with us. She's under my protection now so get the hell over It." he then turned his back to the undead miko and entered the hut where his friends and new ward were sitting and enjoying breakfast.

* * *

><p>And here is chapter Three. I think this version works much better.<p>

Why don't you guys click on that nice little review button right there at the bottom of the page?

Rumiko Takahashi owns InuYasha and Co. I own Inuko.

AriaBelikov


	4. Fluffy!

Chapter Four:

Lord Fluffy

Vocab:

Kage no Omo: Lord of Shadows

Momoko-sama: Sesshomaru's Fluff on his shoulder. It is meant to be a symbol of Sesshomaru's rank as a demon Lord. His and InuYasha's father had one on each shoulder that connected behind him.

Daiyokai- Demon Lord or Great Demon.

Neko- Cat Demon

* * *

><p>A week later found InuYasha watching Shippo and Inuko playing as the others prepared for their next outing. This time they were head toward the domain of InuYasha's father, the Western Lands. Apparently there was a village where a human had obtained a tainted jewel and was devouring children.<p>

As InuYasha sat on Kaede's roof keeping watch over the pups and the area around them he thought on the last week and his apparent refusal to allow his pack mates to question Inuko about her home village or her family.

Maybe InuYasha really did want someone that needed him and only him, the girl seemed to have become very attached to the older hanyo and he was the one she ran to when she was frightened. The very fact that Inuko sought him out above all others made him feel good, strong even.

It wasn't that InuYasha suddenly wanted children. He'd never really be the caring and nurturing type, though he had entertained the thought when he had Kagome with him.

But there was something about Inuko that made him need to be there for her. She was a sweet kid that always seemed to be smiling.

"InuYasha we're ready to head out." InuYasha looked down and saw Sango and the others waiting.

The hanyo jumped down and nodded then he turned toward the pups.

"OI RUNTS TIME TO GO!"

The fox kit and inu pup looked over at the red clad man and then ran toward the adults before they were left behind.

Inuko ran straight for InuYasha and tugged on his pants wanting to be carried. InuYasha smirked and bent down to retrieve the child and put her on his shoulders.

Inuko, wearing an orange kimono with red fall leaves in random patterns, much like the elder hanyo Inuko hated the feeling of shoes on her feet and so she was bare foot like him something that caused Sango and Kaede great displeasure.

"Koinu," Inuko patted InuYasha between his ears to get his attention.

"Where we going?"

InuYasha sniffed the air a moment then answered the child.

"There's a human in the West that has something that belongs to us and we have to go get it."

Inuko leaned down so she could almost look InuYasha in the eye.

"So the human is a bad guy?" she asked cutely. InuYasha glanced up at the child and smiled.

"Yeah kid he's a bad guy so you stay close to me got it." Inuko nodded

As they traveled through out the day Inuko and Shippo would periodically run ahead of the group to play. It had been a long time since Shippo had had another child to play with and he was eager to help look after the newest member of their small, strange pack.

Kirara would often play with the children but the female Neko was always alert for threats.

When the travelers finally stopped for the night Inuko was tired and dirty from frolicking in wilds bare foot.

The black haired girl yawned and made her way over to InuYasha.

"Koinu." InuYasha's ear flickered toward the child as he turned his attention to her.

"What'd ya want kid?" he asked.

"Can I have a bath? I feel yucky." InuYasha stared at the girl and then looked to Sango and Kikyo. He was kind of hoping one of the women would step in but neither of the two was paying attention as they went about their tasks of setting up camp.

InuYasha looked down at Inuko almost pleadingly. "Uh can't ya go without one tonight?"

Inuko looked up at InuYasha with sad tired eyes and her lip began to quiver.

"But mommy gives me a bath every night and makes me squeaky clean." She then hugged InuYasha's leg. "Please Koinu."

InuYasha groaned.

"Fine." The hanyo then turned to the humans in the group.

"Hey, I'm taking the kid to get a bath!" he said and the others nodded, though Kikyo gave the two hanyos a resentful glare.

InuYasha found a hot spring with in a few minutes of taking off with Inuko in tow. Once he landed he sniffed the air for any danger and found nothing, so he sat the girl down and then turned his back.

"Alright kid hurry up and take your bath."

Inuko looked from the hanyo to the water to her clothes and back again then she ran around the half demon so she was able to see his face. She smiled and lifted her arms waiting for him to undress her.

_What the hell is she doing? _InuYasha wondered as he looked around then back to Inuko.

"Whatcha doin'?" InuYasha looked at the three year old in front of him with his arms crossed across his chest.

Inuko frowned and lowered her arms.

_Does he not know how to take a bath? _ Inuko wondered as she contemplated the grown up in front of her.

"I can't take a bath with my clothes on silly."

InuYasha blinked. "Uh yeah," InuYasha agreed. "So take 'em of and take a bath kid."

Inuko glared at the man before her annoyed. She was tired and dirty and she missed her mommy.

"I can't take it off by myself I'll get stuck!" InuYasha groaned obviously uncomfortable undressing a little girl but he bent down and began to untie the child's kimono and pull the garment off. When he tried to remove her beads Inuko pulled her arm away. "No! I don't ever take this off!"

InuYasha pulled his hands away and studied the girl her reaction surprising him.

_Must be a gift from her mother._

When she was completely naked he picked her up and brought her to the edge of the hot springs.

"Alright kid do what you gotta do so we can go back to camp."

Again Inuko looked to the water and too InuYasha, who had turned his back once again. She sighed and rolled her eyes then she reached up and tugged on InuYasha's pants.

InuYasha looked behind him at the girl.

"Oh for the love of- what now?" he growled out. Inuko pointed to the hot springs.

"I don't know how to swim."

InuYasha fell over anime style at that moment and then jumped up.

"Then how the hell do you take a bath?"

Inuko blinked.

"Mommy holds me up and washes my hair and everywhere else."

InuYasha's face went red. Now of course he knew that she wasn't a grown woman but he was also well aware that she wasn't a little boy either and he had no idea in heaven or hell how to bath a little girl.

InuYasha gulped and he felt the first shivers of nervousness.

_From now on Sango is in charge of bath time damn it!_

"Alright fine then pup come here." He bent down and picked the girl up and then placed here into the hot springs to her waist

Inuko held tightly to InuYasha's arm as the hanyo cupped water in his free hand and let it fall on her hair and her upper body. When the water it the top of her hair she shook her head as if she had gotten something in her ears.

_I ain't got none of that shampoo stuff Kagome use to have so I guess I just need to get all the dirt off._

As InuYasha proceeded with washing Inuko off the dirt and grass a familiar and unwelcomed scent registered to him.

While holding Inuko above water InuYasha surveyed the are looking for the owner of the scent.

"I never thought I'd see you so domesticated little brother. You look like a woman bathing that child."

InuYasha looked behind him over his shoulder and found his older half brother, Lord Sesshomaru, standing there at the tree line.

The demon Lord was dressed in his usual white and red Kimono and Hakama with his chest armor. At his armless side were Tenseiga and Tokijin

On his opposite shoulder was his momoko-sama, a furry tail like appendage that the hanyo could be used as a painful weapon.

"What the hell you want?" InuYasha growled as he moved slightly and pulled Inuko closer to the shoreline to keep her hidden by his body.

Inuko peeked from behind InuYasha's knee to see the strange man standing a little ways off.

Much like InuYasha the girl sensed an almost familiar aura radiating from the yokai though his scent didn't make her feel as safe as InuYasha's did.

Sesshomaru's eyes went to the little girl and when she saw she had his attention she smiled and waved shyly.

The Daiyokai did not reveal what he was thinking as InuYasha quickly pulled the girl out of the water, dried her off and dressed her.

Once the child was clean and dressed InuYasha stood up and faced his half brother.

"Well you gonna gawk or are you gonna tell me why you came looking for me." InuYasha snapped defensively. The brothers hadn't really tried to kill each other in a few years but that didn't mean they liked one another either.

"I've come to warn you, little brother." Sesshomaru glanced back to the child at the hanyo's side.

"When did you breed?" He asked.

The question made InuYasha flush in embarrassment.

"She ain't mine!" InuYasha growled. "I found her in the woods."

Sesshomaru continued to stare at the child.

"Feeling sorry for one such as you brother?" He asked making InuYasha growl angrily.

The Inu yokai then kneeled and held out his hand to the pup.

"Come here." He said. Inuko looked up at InuYasha, who hadn't taken his eyes off Sesshomaru, and then back to the new demon.

Inuko sniffed toward him and when his scent didn't forewarn her of ill intent she smiled and scurried over to the man.

InuYasha was surprised and a little hurt that Inuko had so willingly left his side but he watched his elder brother like a hawk.

One wrong move and InuYasha would rip his other arm off.

"What is your name pup?" Sesshomaru asked.

"I'm Inuko, what's your name?"

As Sesshomaru listened to the girl's reply his nose took in her scent. When she had been so close to the hanyo his scent and aura had foreshadowed the child's. Now that she was right in front of him he could easily detect the scent of Inuyokai blood but even more importantly his father's blood flowed strong in the girl.

First Sesshomaru wonder if his brother had lied to him but quickly dismissed it. InuYasha was never good at lying.

_Could the half breed's sense be so diluted that he can't even recognize his own offspring?_

Sesshomaru looked down when he felt a tug on his empty sleeve.

"Hey I said what's your name mister?"

Sesshomaru stood and looked down at the girl with emotionless eyes.

"Sesshomaru." Inuko frowned. "Sessomaroo." She tried and didn't like how hard the name seemed to be for her.

Inuko looked at the silver haired man and noticed the momoko-sama on his shoulder.

"Fluffy!" she yelled and then before either man could react the girl threw herself at Sesshomaru's momoko. She hugged the tail to her and Sesshomaru lifted it so that the girl was eye level with him.

"Can I call you Fluffy?" she asked as she cuddled the momoko.

InuYasha had tensed as soon as Inuko and launched herself at his brother. The half demon knew better then anyone how heartless his brother could be and he prepared himself to protect his ward.

"I suppose," Sesshomaru said surprising his brother.

Sesshomaru, still cradling Inuko with his momoko turned and gestured for his brother to follow him and he began to walk away.

InuYasha followed Sesshomaru as he entered the campsite. As soon as the yokai made his presence known the group tensed and prepared to fight if need be.

Sesshomaru looked at the two humans, two yokai, and one dead woman and finally his eyes returned to Sango.

He then brought his tail up once more so he could look Inuko in the eye.

"Stay with the slayer while I talk to InuYasha." He then used his momoko to place the girl in the slayer's lap and once the pup let him go he turned around and nodded toward the forest meaning he wants InuYasha to follow him once more.

The fact Sesshomaru had allowed a small child, a hanyo for that matter, to ride on him and not punish her put the group in a state of shock.

"What is going on?" Miroku said as he stared after the two Inus.

Inuko yawned and rubbed her eyes.

"Fluffy is nice I like him."

The group turned to stare opened mouthed at the girl as she curled up in Sango's lap and fell asleep.

* * *

><p>InuYasha followed Sesshomaru as he led him farther then he really needed to and back peddled when the Daiyokai stopped abruptly and turned on him.<p>

Sesshomaru lashed out and landed a punch on the half demon. It had only taken him minutes to realize what happened and his idiot brother had yet to realize he was putting his own flesh and blood in serious danger.

Along with the demon blood from their great and terrible father, which was mixed with a mortal's blood, the scent of InuYasha's human mate emanated from the child.

_Damn fool! How can he not know she is his offspring?_

"What the fuck was that for!" InuYasha snarled as he propped himself up on his elbow.

"I knew you were a fool the day you were born!" Sesshomaru snarled as his eyes flashed red. This ignorant pup was endangering the weakest member of their pack and not just that! That girl was their father's first grandchild. By right of birth the girl would become the next Inu no Taisho and he was just dangling her in their enemy's face!

Sesshomaru calmed himself and looked away from his brother.

"Beware of the shadows little brother."

InuYasha blinked in confusion. One minute his brother is beating the hell out of him and the next he was being cryptic. Was he bipolar or something?

"There is a demon named Kage no omo. He's an old enemy of father's and he's been lurking around as of late."

InuYasha picked himself up and eyed his brother for another violent outburst.

"So what does an enemy of father's have to do with me?"

Sesshomaru looked at InuYasha and at first the hanyo thought he would go without answering.

"I fought him while you were sealed… and I let him live."

* * *

><p>(Flash Back Starts Now)<p>

Sesshomaru stood over the Shadow Lord, stoic as always. He watched as the demon he had just defeated in defense of his territory choke on his own blood as he glared up at the young alpha of the Silver Inu Tribe.

"I will spare your life Lord Kage but don't be mislead if you ever step foot in the West again I will kill you."

Sesshomaru then turned his back and began to walk off until he heard the deranged laughter echo from behind him.

"You are a fool boy!" Sesshomaru turned to the demon to see him already fading into the shadows and beyond his reach.

"For this great wrong you've committed against me this day I vow that the line of the Inu no Taisho shall end with his sons. No offspring of Sesshomaru or InuYasha of the West shall live to adulthood! You will be childless till the end of your days!"

Sesshomaru glared and lashed out with his claws only to meet the empty air.

Sesshomaru looked to his claws then to his followers.

"Feh, ridiculous. Only a coward and a fool believes they can harm an Inu pup." He then turned and returned with his small army to the Western palace.

(Flash Back Ends)

* * *

><p>InuYasha stared at Sesshomaru with his mouth wide open.<p>

"You actually showed mercy and I got cursed for it!" InuYasha yelled angrily. He had actually planned to have children with Kagome before she disappeared and his dick of a Brother had just told him a crazy demon was waiting to kill his possible young!

"Why do you seem so enraged little brother? You have no young have you?"

InuYasha looked sadly at the ground and crossed his arms.

"Feh, my mate didn't stay with me long enough to bare me a pup."

InuYasha then sat down and flopped down on his back with his hands behind his head.

"So I guess I don't really have anything to worry about."

_If you only knew little brother._

Sesshomaru knew he'd have to tell his brother of the child's parentage for her safety but he also knew InuYasha would fight it, believing his lover had abandoned him so she would not bare his offspring. Sesshomaru had observed the miko before her departure and he knew that what is brother thought was completely wrong.

For some insane reason his pack sister, or his sister in law as the humans would call her, loved the hanyo before him. For that reason Sesshomaru never once believed the miko left of her own will.

_He'll have to discover the truth on his own. _Sesshomaru decided.

_I'll stay near. I will not allow my father's line to end so shamefully._

Sesshomaru then turned to leave without another word and once he was gone InuYasha returned to the camp to find the group already asleep. Kirara was transformed and Inuko was curled up in Kirara's two tails with Shippo.

As he got closer the hanyo noticed the shadow of a hand reaching for the young girl and he acted without a thought.

He leapt between the sleeping children and the intruder. As he growled dangerously and the hand retreated.

Once InuYasha was certain the strange shadow was gone he settled himself down next to the cat demon and pups and decided he would stand guard.

"Feh as if a stupid shadow is gonna beat me." He mumbled as he fell into a light sleep.

* * *

><p>AN: I thought the bath scene was cute. I mean come on InuYasha giving a girl a bath HA! That'd be funny.

So please review and let me know what you all think.

AriaBelikov

P.S. Rumiko Takahashi owns InuYasha.


	5. The Village

Chapter Five:

The Village

Later that day the group continued on their travels unaware of Sesshomaru and his companions following them. As the adults walked and talked the children and cat demon played along the path ahead.

InuYasha's ear constantly twitched when Inuko would squeal and laugh as she roughhoused with Shippo and Kirara. Every now and then Sango and the others would notice InuYasha's occasional scans of the area but his eyes always found their way back to the little inu hanyo as she played.

InuYasha wasn't the only one having a hard time keeping his gaze off the child as Sesshomaru, who had placed himself where his brother wouldn't sense him, also watched the girl play freely without a care in the world.

It had been a while since their tribe had produced pups and this one was particularly pure. He could feel her repressed spiritual power from where he stood.

_Defiantly mothered by the miko._

The demon lord idly wondered if she could be trained in both her demon powers and her spiritual ones.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin asked as she Ah-Un brought her closer to her guardian. 'Why can't we travel with Lord InuYasha?"

Sesshomaru didn't answer he only continued watching over his brother's strange pack and the princess in their midst.

It was sun set by the time the group arrived at the village where the shard was rumored to be held by the headman.

The atmosphere was tense and filled with dread and Inuko became nervous as she pressed herself up to the older hanyo.

Meanwhile InuYasha was on guard waiting for the mean and spiteful human taunts that always accompanied him to a new village. But none came instead he got sympathetic looks and Inuko got looks of dread and pity.

InuYasha tensed when Inuko whimpered into his calf.

"Koinu I don't like it here."

InuYasha reached down and picked the child up and cradled her protectively to his chest.

"Don't worry kid you're safe with us."

"InuYasha have you noticed?" Miroku asked as he came up to stand next to stand next to his friend. "There are no children here just like rumors said."

InuYasha nodded. He had noticed that and it had put him even more on guard. He wouldn't lose any of his pack and that included Inuko and Shippo.

"Honored travelers!" InuYasha tuned back into the world around him as the headman of the village came and bowed before them. InuYasha took a step away from the man and gave a warning growl. But it didn't seem to faze the human.

"Please allow us to put you up for the night." Sango and the others looked at each other. This was definitely different then they were expecting.

As much as InuYasha hated it they had to accept the human's offer if they ere going to find the shard.

So Miroku, the group's diplomat, thanked the headman and they allowed him to lead them to his house and as they left the village square InuYasha could smell the fresh salt of tears from the villagers that watched.

InuYasha sat in the corner of the room the headman had given to him for the night with Inuko cuddled in his lap. The strange dinner still bothered him.

* * *

><p>(Flash Back)<p>

The dinner was grand, much more grand then they would usually enjoy after slaying a demon.

InuYasha barely touched his food because his instincts had him on guard and he never let Inuko wonder from his side not that the pup would.

Inuko was so unsettled and frightened by the atmosphere that she had lost her appetite and instead she clung to InuYasha's kimono.

"It's not often we get such important travelers." The headman said. "We are most honored."

_Ok something's up,_ InuYasha thought as he scowled at the man and bared his fangs in warning. _We didn't even do anything but walk into the damn village._

"And to see such a young face is a sight to behold." The headman continued as he gave an evil glance to Inuko and the girl growled warningly in response and if her vocal cords had been fully matured it would have been a bone chilling snarl but unfortunately it sounded more like a kitten's meow.

InuYasha on the other hand had very mature vocal cords and the snarl that ripped from his throat was one that even the most terrifying demon would have rolled over in submission for.

The headman flinched as the others eyed InuYasha to be sure he wasn't loosing control of his blood but otherwise didn't try to restrain their friend. The human before them was giving off an evil aura that had them all on edge.

"My apologies, I didn't mean to offend." The human said as he bowed deeply. "You see all of our children have either gone missing or have died of unnatural causes."

"Just leave the pups out of the conversation old man." InuYasha warned.

"You don't fuck with pups of an Inu's pack." The human nodded his head. "Of course."

(Flash Back Ends)

* * *

><p>Inuko squirmed in his lap and InuYasha smiled as he brushed her hair from her face. For a moment he let the worries and the instincts just melt away as he gazed at the little girl.<p>

_Is this what its like to be a father?_ He wondered. _Is this how my father felt when Sesshomaru and I had been born?_

InuYasha shook his head.

_What the hell am I thinking?_ He growled silently to himself. _Inuko ain't even my pup._

But he couldn't deny he felt connected to the child. More so then he had to anyone in four long years.

InuYasha shook his head and sighed then he fell into a light slumber.

* * *

><p>(Meanwhile Somewhere in the headman's home)<p>

The headman sat in the small room in the back of his house. At first he seemed to be talking to himself until a figure appeared from the shadows.

"It's just as you said my lord." The headman said as he groveled at the figures feet.

"Hanyo came and he brought a young girl with him. He seemed very protective of her."

"Of course he is she is his daughter after all."

Lord Kage stepped from the shadows as he conversed with the human that was so corrupt as to murder his three young children and all the children of his village.

"You know what to do?" he asked the human at his feet.

"Yes my Lord capture the child and deliver her to you."

The shadow Lord smiled wickedly. "Yes I'll be waiting. Don't disappoint me."

With that the headman scurried from the room to set his master's plan in motion.

Once alone Lords Kage chuckled darkly.

"Soon I will have the grandchild of the Great Dog General in my posseion and then I'll crush her father and uncle's very souls along with her skull.

* * *

><p>Hey sorry about how short this chapter is. The next ones will be longer. Thanks and Review.<p>

Rumiko Takahashi owns InuYasha

AriaBelikov


	6. Inpei no Bizu

Chapter Six:

Inpei no Bizu

Chapter Vocabulary-

Inpei no Bizu- Beads of Concealment

* * *

><p>The sounds of screaming humans woke InuYasha from his slumber and as he stood up he heard the whimpers of the small girl in his care. He turned to see Inuko huddled in a corner with her hands on top of her head as she cowered from the sounds.<p>

InuYasha bent down and brought the girl into the security of his arms as she grasped his kimono.

"What's happening Koinu?" Inuko whimpered as she tried to meld herself with elder hanyo as the sounds frightened her more then the monsters under her bed.

"I don't know pup but you'll be okay." InuYasha said. "Stay here and don't come out until I come get you understand?"

Inuko nodded as tears streamed down her face and as he looked at her InuYasha caught a startling glimpse of himself as a child. He then turned and ran from the room determined to never let Inuko look so scared and unsure again.

As InuYasha emerged from the house he saw the strangest sight he had ever seen. Shadows were coming to life and attacking the humans of the village. They were different shapes and sizes.

Animal like specters ripped their victims apart while their human shaped cousins slit throats and beat the innocent.

InuYasha drew his Tessiga and attacked a near by shadow that was chasing a woman and the others also engaged enemies of their own.

InuYasha lunged and tried to slash the shadows but it did little good.

_How the hell am I suppose to kill a shadow?_

As the battle raged on InuYasha was getting frustrated as he tried to attack the shadows only to be injured instead.

"KOINU!"

InuYasha whirled at the sound of a sweet little voice that he never wanted to hear frightened.

The headman was currently trying to drag Inuko by her hair as she fought the human man. The little girl had tears streaming down her young face, as the fear was clear in her eyes.

She met InuYasha's eyes and reached for him.

"Koinu help me! He's hurting me!"

InuYasha couldn't move as he felt his blood boil and the demon with in rear up inside him. As the child's cries came to his ears and the sound of his pack being attacked the Tessiga was unable to fight the pull of his demon blood and he transformed.

As InuYasha stared at Inuko as she tried to free herself from the headman his vision went red and unlike the other few times the hanyo had turned into a demon he had never retained consciousness during the event.

But now he saw everything and he was unable to stop it.

**"Stupid human!" **Demon InuYasha snarled as he lunged at the one who dared to harm his pup. The hanyo may be so much in denial that he was able to ignore his senses that screamed that the girl was their blood but he wouldn't forsake his pup, his mate would never forgive him.

The headman struggled with the young demon child as she fought and clawed him but suddenly he felt a dull pain in his chest and when he looked down he saw a clawed hand sticking from his chest with his still beating heart clutched tight.

**"No one lays hands on my daughter."** demon InuYasha growled as he crushed the human's heart before the man went limp against him.

Demon InuYasha threw the dead human from him and his eyes went to the little girl that was looking up at him with barely a hint of fear. She had the human's blood splattered on her face and hair from where he had shoved his hand through the bastard's chest and the demon growled softly at the fact that the innocent pup was covered in blood.

InuYasha reached for Inuko only for a momoko lashed out and scooped the child up.

InuYasha's red and teal eyes widened and followed his offspring as she came to be cradled by Sesshomaru as the demon lord stood impassive and emotionless as always.

"Well little brother it seems even the Tessiga can not suppress the demon's urge to kill those who threaten your offspring."

"Fl-Fluffy, what's wrong with Koinu why does he look scary?"

The child's timid voice gained the attention of the two demons though neither took their eyes from each other. InuYasha felt the need to tear the flesh from the demon holding his pup but the child had already seen too much violence and even demon InuYasha didn't want to completely warp his kid.

**"Give her to me." **InuYasha growled. **"NOW!"**

Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kikyo watched from the sidelines. They had never seen InuYasha's demon side so civil. Usually when InuYasha lost to his yokai blood the hanyo would go into a viscous killing spree and no one would be safe.

"He's focused on Inuko." Sango said. "He's completely focused on her."

"Did Sesshomaru call her his offspring?" Miroku asked as the Demon Lord's words sounded once more in his memory.

"I will return the pup when you allow the hanyo to return." Sesshomaru said as he ignored the murmurings of the humans around them.

With Sesshomaru's arrival the humans had turned their attention toward him and his brother and the shadows watched eagerly.

_So Kage no Omo is too afraid to come for the girl himself. He did not count on InuYasha's demon blood surfacing._

**"Give me the pup."** InuYasha snapped again as he brought his elder brother from his thoughts. Demon InuYasha was a being that felt intensities. A demon in the truest form, InuYasha's yokai was a possessive creature and even though his hanyo side was so dense and clueless that it couldn't recognize the scent of his own blood he knew the moment he had heard her whimpers for help in the well that she belonged to him.

"Return to your original form and I will relinquish the pup."

InuYasha growled to himself as he contemplated the situation.

**_If I let the hanyo return whose to say Sesshomaru won't kill Inuko anyway? _**

The demon felt a pull in his mind and he instantly recognized the other half of his soul trying to take back its control. He looked to Inuko who was clutched in the demon lord's momoko as she watched him fearfully.

InuYasha never wanted Inuko to fear him. She was his child she should know that no matter the form he took he would protect her and care for her.

**_"Fine."_** He growled and allowed his yokai to recede and the human took back its control.

As soon as InuYasha opened his eyes and Inuko saw that he was normal again she pulled herself from Momoko-sama and ran to InuYasha.

"Koinu I was so scared!" she cried as she hugged InuYasha's knee tightly.

InuYasha knelt down and took Inuko into his arms and held her to him. Something had been different when he transformed. He had been more aware of what his demon was doing and feeling and all his yokai felt was a strong need to protect Inuko.

_At least I know if I transform again the pup won't be in danger._ He thought thankfully.

InuYasha looked up when Sesshomaru turned to the shadows and he took Tenseiga from its sheath.

"Be gone and return to your master." He ordered as his father's fang glowed brightly and dispersed the darkness where the shadows lurked.

And at last the shadows where gone and all that was left were the dead villagers that they had failed to save.

* * *

><p>(A Few Days Later)<p>

The village had been completely wiped out. All the humans were dead and it had taken the Inu Tachi almost two days to bury all of the dead.

InuYasha was currently digging another grave as Miroku and Kikyo prayed for the souls of those who had lost their lives. As InuYasha stood up straight and wiped the sweat from his forehead he looked over to Sango who was placing flowers with Shippo on the graves.

InuYasha glanced around looking for his brother who had invited himself to travel with his pack much to the hanyo's displeasure.

The half demon found him on top of a hut watching something in the distance. He followed the Yokai Lord's gaze to see Rin and Inuko playing in a field not to far away but far enough away from the carnage.

InuYasha leapt on the roof next to Sesshomaru and sat silently as the two watched the children in the fields.

"So," InuYasha said as he sat there. "Why are you following us anyway?"

Sesshomaru eyed his younger brother from the corner of his eye. The hanyo had a strong physical resemblance to their father and he even has some of his mannerisms. It had always been InuYasha that resembled their father more then the elder brother.

"The pup must be protected InuYasha." The hanyo raised an eyebrow as he looked up at his elder brother.

"Yeah I know but since when do you give a fuck about a hanyo?"

Sesshomaru sighed and closed his eyes and sat next to the hanyo he had tried to kill for so long and he now found himself trying to protect a further stain upon his family name.

"You don't remember your Yokai's demands Little Brother?"

InuYasha folded his arms and furrowed his brow.

"I remember that I felt an almost obsessive need to keep Inuko safe." He told the elder demon. "I just knew I couldn't loose her."

Sesshomaru nodded.

"Mating is a serious matter little brother because once you've claimed a mate the need to protect her and any young she provides for you can be so strong, intense, that you'll die before you let them be hurt."

InuYasha shook his head and scowled out toward the horizon.

"Kagome's safe and I don't have any pups so what the hell are you getting at?"

If Sesshomaru wasn't such an aristocratic demon he would have scoffed at his brother's idiocy.

"You remember nothing then?" he asked. "The girl, Inuko, she's your daughter and your Miko is her mother."

InuYasha looked at the demon lord next to him. He had known Sesshomaru since he was an orphaned pup over two hundred years ago and this same cold hearted bastard was toying with him.

InuYasha growled and stood. "You fucking bastard!" he snarled. "I would have known if Inuko was my daughter."

Sesshomaru merely looked at the younger half demon then he looked toward the field.

The silver haired demon nodded toward the girls then he lept over to them followed by his younger brother.

Inuko looked up and smiled as she saw the two brothers.

"Koinu!" she squealed as she ran toward the hanyo carrying a crown of flowers. "Look what I made!"

InuYasha smiled and knelt down and took the wild flower crown.

"It's nice kid."

"Inuko." Sesshomaru said. "Come here pup."

Inuko smiled and moved to stand in front of the older man.

He knelt down like his brother and took her left arm.

The red and white beads gleamed in the setting sun and Sesshomaru gestured to it.

"What is this?" he asked.

Inuko began to look nervous and tried to pull her arm away.

"Mommy gave it to me. She said it would keep me safe and to never take it off."

Sesshomaru, not allowing the girl to take back her arm, gestured to Jaken.

"Jaken remove the beads."

"Yes my Lord." Jaken squawked.

"NO!" Inuko began to struggle and fight, she even bit the little imp.

"SESSHOMARU!" InuYasha snapped as he ripped the child from his brother's grasp.

"Leave her the hell alone."

"Inuko." Sesshomaru said as he kept his eyes on the girl.

"Take the beads off." Inuko looked up with tears in her eyes. Unbeknownst to the three inu yokai the others began to gather around drawn by the snarling hanyo and crying child.

InuYasha glared daggers at his brother as he held Inuko to him who held her left arm to her little chest.

_Its just a fucking bracelet why is he so adamant about the damned thing._

InuYasha looked down at Inuko.

"It's alright pup, just take it off for a moment so he'll shut up about it."

Inuko looked up at InuYasha pleadingly but when she saw he wasn't going to budge she sniffed.

"Can I put it back on?"

InuYasha chuckled. "Sure kid."

Inuko slowly took the beads off and once they were no longer in contact with her pale skin her appearance changed.

Her eyes went from brown to brilliant gold, her long black hair bled into sliver and her human ears disappeared and puppy ears became visible on top of her silver head.

Inuko looked up at InuYasha, her lip trembling.

Miroku was the first to speak as he gently took the beads from Inuko's hand and held them up to study them.

"These are Inpei no Bizu."

* * *

><p>Sorry everyone. Work has been hectic and I haven't had much time to actually write and proof read but here is chapter six!<p>

Please review and let me know what you all think.

Rumiko Takahashi owns InuYasha!


	7. Inuko's Guardian Angel, InuYasha's Dream

Chapter Seven:

Inuko's Guardian Angel and InuYasha's Dream

InuYasha stared at the pup in his lap. Where a raven haired human looking pup had been now was a bluntly obvious inu yokai pup.

Inuko looked up at InuYasha and he could see her uncertainty grow. She was afraid and InuYasha once more saw himself in her face. It was no coincidence since she looked just like him. He hadn't realized it when she had been under the concealment before but she looked exactly like he did when he was her age and he began to shake.

Inuko was three; Kagome had been gone almost four years.

_She… She left me and took my pup with her?_ He thought as his heart broke once more.

InuYasha gently took the girl from his lap and handed her to Sango and he stood and ran toward the woods.

Once there he took Tessiga from its sheath and slashed at the trees surrounding him. She abandoned him and kept his daughter from him.

Why were humans so deceitful?

He loved her, he protected her, and she left without giving him a thought.

The last time he saw her flashed into his mind. Her face, she had been smiling. She had even kissed him and then she was gone.

InuYasha dropped Tessiga and fell to his knees as he thought of everything he had been denied. He should have been there to see his pup grow in his mate's belly, he should have felt her kick and held her after her birth.

He fell so his forehead touched the ground beneath him and he allowed the tears to fall.

_Why? _He thought.

"Why damn it Why?" he whimpered.

Finally after hours of taking his anger out on the trees and his sorrow out on the ground he leapt into a tree not having the physical strength nor the emotional to walk back to the village and see his pup again just yet.

_No if I go back now I'll only scare the pup._

He settled on a branch and brought his knee to his chest and before he fell asleep he let himself imagine what the first three years of Inuko's life might have been like.

* * *

><p>(InuYasha's Dream)<p>

InuYasha stood in the middle of a battlefield. The destruction was massive that the once beautiful field was unrecognizable.

"Where am I?" he wondered as he looked around and then he saw Sesshomaru with a large army of demons and a demon at his feet.

"You're in a memory my love." InuYasha whirled around with his claws raised only to lower them and stare in shock.

Lady Izayoi, the princess of the Setsuna clan the second mate to the great Dog General and mother to his second son stood before him and as he studied his mother the hanyo felt like running in to her loving arms like he had when he was a child.

"Mother?" he asked as he reached for her. Izayoi smiled sadly and Izayoi pulled him into her embrace.

"My boy, my precious boy." She whispered as she held him.

"I don't understand." InuYasha said as he pulled away. "What are you doing here? Where are we?"

"It's a memory of the past." The princess explained. "I'm showing it to you so you won't hurt like this anymore. I know you've come to expect for those who tell you that they care for you to either leave or die, I've seen everything thus far." Izayoi brushed her hands through her son's hair as he looked around.

"I've watched over you since my death InuYasha, and I've tried to protect you the best I could but a spirit can only do so much. I'm going to show you what happened to caused Kage no Omo's curse and why you're beloved isn't here."

InuYasha scoffed and looked away from his mother.

"Kagome didn't need a reason to leave."

Izayoi studied her son sadly. She had never wanted to hurt her son, though she knew it had to be done.

"Just watch my son and you'll understand."

His mother was the one person that InuYasha had ever obeyed blindly and she had never lead him astray so he turned to the scene and watched as his brother spared Kage no Omo and then Kage no omo spoke his curse and ran away like the cowered he was.

"Ridiculous," Sesshomaru scoffed. "As if a weak excuse for a demon would get close enough to an Inu pup."

Then the dream faded and morphed into something else.

InuYasha found himself in a dark forest at night. He couldn't think of anything that would be important here.

Until he turned around and saw the Oshinboku he then saw himself and Kagome laying beneath the tree together with only his robe covering them.

InuYasha watched as he held his newly claimed mate close to him with her head on his bare chest over his heart. InuYasha blushed as he glanced to his mother who was watching the scene even more sadly then she had looked when she comforted him.

"What does this have to do with Kage no Omo?"

Izayoi didn't answer as Kagome's voice floated to the two.

"I love you InuYasha." The miko whispered.

InuYasha turned to the vision and saw Kagome kiss his throat as he held her even closer.

_I remember that._ He thought as he placed a hand on his own neck where she had kissed him that night.

_I had been so afraid that I was dreaming and that she'd disappear. I did I get so lucky to have had the time with her that I did._

Dream InuYasha tightened his grip on the young girl and growled out playfully.

"Mine." Kagome laughed and nodded.

"Yours." She said. "Always have been always will be."

InuYasha felt his heart break at the thought of what he suffered just a few weeks after this.

Then as InuYasha watched the scene movement caught his eye. He watched as a shadow broke away from the darkness cast by the trees surrounding the couple.

"That's a-"

The scene once again shimmered and changed to mansion cloaked in shadow.

"My Lord." The shadow that had spied on them during their mating.

"The dog's half breed son has taken a mate."

A man dressed in a black kimono in the style of a lord stepped from the shadows and InuYasha realized he was the same as the man he had seen when the dream had begun.

"His half breed took a mate? I would have thought Sesshomaru would be the first, if not only, one to mate and bare offspring."

The demon lord paced as he thought on the information he had been given. He then turned to his minions.

"Watch them," he said. "When you sense life take root in the woman's womb then I'll happily crush the whelp before its even born."

The shadow bowed then disappeared to carry out it's mission.

Once more InuYasha found himself in the clearing where the well lay.

"What's happening now?" InuYasha asked his mother.

"This is the day you believe your mate abandoned you." His mother answered.

Then Kagome was seen walking and she stopped and looked around. Unlike the dream Kagome, InuYasha could see the invisible world around her.

He saw his mother staying close to the living miko and keeping the shadows at bay.

When Kagome finally made it to the well and disappeared into the future Kage no omo appeared.

"So she escaped." He said.

"You can never reach her now." Izayoi in the vision spoke strongly in her soft voice.

The demon turned to the dead princess.

The man smiled. "You forget my lady that we Yokai have abnormally long life spans. I will find her in the future and you cannot haunt her for the next five hundred years. Soon you will be forced to be reincarnated and she'll be defenseless."

InuYasha watched as his mother glared at the Yokai.

"I will stay as long as I am needed. I won't allow you to hurt my family."

The demon laughed as he was overcome by the shadows. "We'll see what the mere shade of a mortal woman can do against the Lord of Shadows. Until next time Lady Izayoi."

InuYasha then watched as his mother approached the well and placed her hands on the rim.

"Now you will not be able to return Kagome, until the danger has passed. I will watch over you and the child you carry until then."

The picture dispersed leaving InuYasha and his mother standing in a white void.

InuYasha turned to his mother. He wasn't sure how to feel. Should he feel betrayed or grateful? He had gone almost four years without his mate and pup but they had lived and had been safe.

It was then InuYasha realized something.

"Why did you allow Inuko to come through the well?"

Izayoi looked sadly at her feet.

"Kage no Omo was more powerful then I anticipated. He managed to cause a serious accident that would have killed the child had her mother not thrown herself over her. Unfortunately this put Kagome in the hospital. After they took her away I led Inuko to the well and made sure you found her.

InuYasha bowed his head his bangs hid his eyes. "Is- is Kagome dead?"

"No." Izayoi then put her hand on his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry InuYasha. I f I hadn't sealed the well you would be going through all of this pain."

InuYasha shook his head. No he couldn't let his mother blame herself for this. This was his own fault. If he had had more trust in his mate then he wouldn't have felt so absolutely betrayed.

"You were trying to protect my family." He said as he looked his mother in the eye. "You did nothing wrong. I was the one who didn't have any faith in Kagome."

InuYasha then gently took his mother into his arms and held her to him the way she would do when he was a pup and scared or upset.

"Thank you mother for protecting them as much as you could."

Izayoi smiled and patted her son's cheek.

"My precious little boy. You really are a man now and a father."

InuYasha blushed and scoffed as he looked away.

"Its not a big deal or nothin'."

Again the proud mother smiled at her son as he turned red.

"Its time to wake up InuYasha. Wake up and take of your family. I will be with you as long as I can be."

(InuYasha's Dream End)

* * *

><p>InuYasha woke from his dream with a new hope in his heart and a small smile on his face.<p>

His mate had loved him and she hadn't left him willingly, hell she had even bared his pup.

InuYasha jumped from the tree and ran for the deserted village where his pack was residing.

As he got closer to the hut where the others had decided to sleep in he could hear shouts and cries along with the soothing voices of his friends trying to calm his crying pup.

"KOINU! I WANT KOINU!"

InuYasha entered the hut just in time to see Kikyo strike the child's cheek.

"You will be silent and stop this nonsense." Inuko had a hand to her cheek and was staring wide eyed at the undead miko as tears silently fell from her eyes.

Sango had stood as soon as the priestess smacked the little girl but before she could chew into the dead woman InuYasha spoke up.

"What the fuck is going on in here?" he snarled.

Everyone turned to see the hanyo standing stock still as his eyes blazed with untold fury.

How dare Kikyo strike his child.

_Well it sure as hell isn't going to happen again!_

"Ko-Koinu." Inuko whimpered. He looked to the little girl, his daughter, she still had her concealment beads off so her true form. Her golden eyes were shining with tears and InuYasha felt a certain amount of pride to see his features on the child's face.

"Its alright Inuko, I'll be right back."

He then looked to Kikyo who stood tall and completely at ease. That only pissed the full grown hanyo off more.

"Kikyo can I speak with you now."

Kikyo followed him and as soon as the where outside the hut he turned on her.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" he growled angrily.

"The child has to learn that screaming isn't going to be tolerated." Kikyo replied as if she was completely justified in her actions.

"You are not her mother!" InuYasha snapped. "Kagome is her mother. You don't fucking touch her again do you understand?"

Kikyo looked as if he had slapped her in the face. Never had InuYasha spoken to her like that.

"Do you understand!" InuYasha growled.

"Fine." She said. "But I am not going to help you raise your bastard!"

InuYasha growled. "Don't worry you won't have to. I'm bringing her mother home when she's healthy enough and she'll mother her. I wasn't even considering having you mother my pup instead of her own mother!"

Kikyo glared at her past lover as he moved past her and entered the hut.

As InuYasha entered Inuko looked up at him from where she was snuggled against Miroku. Her beads had been placed back on her wrist and as he looked at her he smiled and knelt down and opened his arms out for her to run into.

Inuko didn't hesitate as she flew to her father's arms.

"It's okay pup." He said as he settled himself on his rear. "You're okay I'm here papa's here."

"I'm sorry if I made you mad Koinu." She whispered and he pulled back and looked her in the face.

"You didn't do anything wrong pup, I was just surprised is all."

Inuko sniffed as she nodded.

"I want my mommy." She whimpered.

InuYasha nodded. "Alright pup. We'll head back to Kaede's village tomorrow and then we'll head through the well to see your mama."

Inuko nodded then she nuzzled her head into his chest and fell asleep.

Kikyo had re-entered the hut as the girl fell asleep.

"Kagome is going to come back?" Shippo asked as he quietly came to sit beside the older hanyo.

"Yeah, she's hurt right now and in a place where healers will take care of her but when she's healed she's coming home. When we get back I'm going to take Inuko to see her."

With that the others agreed to head out in the morning.

As his pack slept peacefully InuYasha sat against a wall and held his pup in his lap and for the first time in four years he was happy.

* * *

><p>Now InuYasha knows everything all that's left is for Kage no omo to get his butt kicked. Please review thanks<p>

Rumiko Takahashi owns InuYasha & Co.


	8. Returning home and Inuko's dream

Chapter Eight: Returning home and Inuko's dream

Koinu hime- Puppy Princess

Koinu- Pup; puppy

Hime- Princess

* * *

><p>The next day found the Inu Tachi traveling back to Lady Kaede's village.<p>

InuYasha's eyes and ears were scanning his surroundings as he walked at the front of his small but powerful pack with his three year old daughter's small hand in his own bigger one.

Since InuYasha learned of Inuko's heritage he had kept the girl closer to him, his instincts demanding the pup's safety his top priority.

"Koinu I'm sleepy." Inuko whined and when the hanyo glanced at the girl and he knew that her puppy ears were wilted to her head under her Inpei no Bizu charm.

InuYasha picked the girl up without a second thought and sat her on his shoulder the way Shippo sometimes perched himself.

Inuko smiled happily. "Inuko you have puppy ears like me!" she squealed happily as she gently petted her father's ears. Anyone else and the half demon warrior would have snapped at the one that dared to touch him in that way but not only did the girl have the exact same sensitive ears that he had but she was also his pup. To Inus showing affection is very important among close family and the girl petting his ears appeased his demon.

"Yup pup, I do."

InuYasha felt the weight of a certain fox kit land on his head.

"You know Inuko InuYasha is your dad so you can call him papa."

InuYasha had been unsure weather he should inform the toddler about her relation to him but he did long to hear her call him her father.

Inuko tilted her head to the side like a curious puppy as she looked at Shippo.

"Koinu is my daddy?" the child asked sweetly. Shippo nodded excitedly. He had always seen InuYasha and Kagome as his parents and he was very happy to have a new little sister.

Inuko leaned down so she could look at InuYasha's face and the hanyo cut his eyes toward the girl.

"Are you my daddy Koinu?" she asked him sweetly and InuYasha smiled as he nodded. "Yup pup sure am."

Inuko frowned and for a minute InuYasha was scared that she'd be unhappy.

"How come you never come see me and Mama daddy?" InuYasha's ears flattened in sadness and shame. He hadn't been there for his family, his daughter had gone three years without him and it sickened him.

"Inuko," he said as he sighed. "I've been busy trying to make this world safer for you and your mama. I wasn't able to get through the well so I couldn't come see you."

InuYasha then reached for the girl and cradled her to his strong chest.

"But that's all over now. When your mama is all better you and her are going to come and live here where you belong." Inuko smiled then looked over her shoulder.

"Uncle Miroku Aunty Sango Koinu is my daddy and me and mommy is coming to live here!"

Miroku smiled.

"Is that so little Inuko?" The girl nodded her head making her deceptively raven hair fly around her.

"Well I'm so glad that we'll be able to look on your pretty smile everyday."

Sango smiled and reached up to pat the girl's hair. "It'll be good to have a little one around." She said.

Inuko laughed as she reached for Sango and her father turned to hand the pup to the only female in the pack that he trusted with his child.

Inuko hugged the taijiya's neck and nuzzled the woman under her jaw.

"I'm glad I'll be able to stay with you Sango- oba and mommy will be too." Then the girl laid her head against the slayer's shoulder as she was swept away by sweet dreams.

* * *

><p>(Inuko's Dream)<p>

Inuko found herself in a field of wild flowers. She was dressed in a white kimono and her beads weren't on her wrist. The child looked around curiously as a soft summer's breeze lifted her silver hair. Despite the relative peacefulness of the meadow the inu pup was uneasy.

Inuko's ears twitched then flattened themselves against her head in fear as her instincts told her she was being watched. Listening to her instincts Inuko began to back toward the safety of the forest brush, being out in the open without an adequate guardian wasn't the safest way to go and she knew it.

As the bare foot toddler backed toward the forest she came into contact with a pair of legs much bigger and much stronger then her.

Inuko froze and slowly looked up, hoping it would be her Koinu, her daddy behind her.

No such luck. There standing above her was a man with tan skin and jagged purple marks on his cheeks. The man had his arms crossed over an armor breastplate and a furry tail like Fluffy did except this man's was on both shoulders and had a split tail. Golden eyes stared down at the girl with a hint of amusement.

"Hello pup." He said in a deep voice that made something in the child purr as a feeling of love and safety flowed over her. He kneeled before her and Inuko backed away, cautious despite her yokai telling her to trust the stranger.

_Pack_.

She tilted her head as the word floated through her head.

Inuko fiddled with the tassel on her kimono held by two decorative strings.

"Who you mister?" she asked nervously whishing her daddy were here.

The man laughed and as he sat down and crossed his legs his hair, which was in a high ponytail, shifted over one armored shoulder. It shined brightly in the sunlight and Inuko realized it was as silver as her own.

Inuko looked closer to the man and smiled.

"You look like my daddy." She said and the man laughed again.

"I'm sure I do, Inuko, your daddy is my son." Inuko blinked in confusion then smiled as she climbed into the demon's lap.

"You are my daddy's daddy?" she asked and was rewarded with a kiss to her crown and a nuzzle to her cheek.

"Yes little one I am." He growled.

Inuko looked up at him then and stared as if she were trying to find a way to ask the question the great Daiyokai could see burning in her eyes.

InuTaisho smiled indulgently at his granddaughter as she thought on her question and ran his clawed hand through her silver locks gently. It had been a long time since he had held a pup, almost a millennia, Sesshomaru being the last.

_That's right I didn't even have the chance to hold InuYasha._

The image of a crying pup with silver hair and ears came to his mind as did the woman that cradled the child protectively to her breast. There was a lot the Dog General regretted about his life but loving Izayoi and saving her and his son wasn't one of them.

"If you're my daddy's daddy then how come he's not here too?"

InuTaisho smiled lovingly to the girl that looked a great deal like his youngest son. "Well granddaughter this is a dream but if you'd like I can conjure him for you."

The demon raised his hand and they both turned when InuYasha stepped from the forest. He was only a dream that the Dog demon had created for his granddaughter but it didn't seem to matter when the girl jumped up and leapt at the hanyo.

"Koinu look your daddy here!" Dream InuYasha smiled at Inuko.

"That so?" he asked as he brought her back to the demon sitting and waiting patiently.

InuTaisho took the pup back into his arms and held her to his armored chest, the armor softened and the spikes retraced as not to harm the girl.

"Come let's walk." The demon said to the shade of his son, whom nodded and followed his father without complaint.

"So if you are my daddy's daddy then does that mean you're my jii-chan?" Inuko asked curiously as she was carried by the older demon.

"Yes pup, I am." InuTaisho watched as Inuko frowned as she thought about her next question.

"How come I never see you before, Jii-chan?"

InuTaisho sighed as he tried to find away to explain to the small child without confusing or upsetting her.

"Well Inuko you see I'm not in the world of the living anymore." He explained. "I died to protect you father and your grandmother so I can only be in your dreams."

Inuko studied her grandfather then understanding dawned on her.

"You went to Heaven Jii-chan?" she asked innocently. "Mommy said that her daddy went to Heaven a long time ago and he takes care of us from there. You are taking care of me now so that means you went to Heaven right?"

InuTaisho smiled sadly. He had watched over his son since his death and had fallen in love with the Kagome girl the minute she groped his son's ears while he still slept on the Oshinboku. In that moment he knew she'd at the very least be a kind friend to his InuYasha and when she had asked the hanyo to let her stay by his side he knew that that helpless little miko girl was destined for his boy's mate making the Great Demon and his mate love her as if she were their own daughter.

_I should have known that Kagome would find some way to explain what happens to people after their deaths._

"Yes my little puppy, I went to Heaven and so did your grandmother. We've both been watching over you since before you were born."

Inuko smiled and stretched to lick under his chin the way she sometimes did with her mother.

Then she looked back up and smiled.

"You keep the bad dreams away jii-chan?" InuTaisho felt his beast rise in anger as the child mentioned the dark presence of the demon that had been trying to torment her in her dreams since she was a new born. That was why he had always hovered on the outskirts of her dreams keeping them from turning into nightmares and making sure the child got the rest she needed.

"Yes my little Koinu Hime I keep the bad dreams away."

Inuko smiles. "I'm glad."

The three walked for a little longer then the demon brought his grandchild to the Oshinboku.

The tree had become essential to his family. It was here that his youngest son slept for fifty years, met his true mate, and conceived his first child so of course this tree, the place where her life began, would be the safest place to tell the pup what he had come to tell her.

He sat her down on an upturned root and the kneeled before her.

"Inuko Jii-chan needs you to do something for him alright?"

Inuko smiled and nodded eager to help her newly found Grampa in any way she could.

"That's my good little Hime," The demon showed the child a piece of parchment then placed it into one of the hidden pockets of her kimono.

"Next time you see Fluffy again," he chuckled at the name the child had for his elder son. "Give this to him and tell him that his daddy needs him to do exactly as it says." Inuko nodded.

"Okay Jii-chan! I love mister fluffy his tail is so soft. Is your tail soft?"

The Daiyokai laughed and then gently picked the girl up with his Momoko.

"You tell me Koinu?" both tails grasp the girl under her arms and proceed to throw her into the air and catch her.

That was how Inuko spent the journey to Kaede's village that day, in her father's arms dreaming about her Jii-chan.

* * *

><p>FINALLY! I have been beating myself in the head to get this done and its done! So what do you all think, I haven't written a lot with InuYasha's father but I wanted to add him in, please let me know in the for of a review and I'll try to get the next chapter up soon.<p>

P.S. Inuko's Kimono in the dream is like Shiori's in the Bat demon episodes. I wasn't sure what it was called but it was just a white Kimono with a decorative string thing on the front.


	9. The Seal and The Well

Chapter Nine: The Seal and The Well

InuYasha led his friends into the village at dusk that day. Inuko was held to his chest as she slept peacefully in his arms and as he looked down at the small girl who, with her concealment bracelet, looked like his mother. How he could never have seen the signs before it was thrown in his face he had no idea but now that he knew the truth it was painfully obvious.

He hugged the sleeping child closer to him and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. He glanced up when a familiar scent that wasn't supposed to be in his village reached his nose.

He gave an annoyed growl to see his brother standing in front of Kaede's hut with the little imp Jaken waiting. After revealing Inuko's parentage the bastard had disappeared until now.

"What the hell are you doing here you bastard!" he snarled and Inuko shifted as her mind returned to the waking world. She yawned and rubbed her eyes with her fist before she looked to see who had made her daddy snarl the way he had.

Inuko's eyes lit up happily when she saw her Mister Fluffy.

"Fluffy!" she squealed excitedly as she wiggled out of her father's embrace. The pup happily ran to the older demon and once she was in front of him she searched her pockets until she found a piece of parchment.

"Fluffy this is for you from Jii-chan, he said to do exactly as it said." The adults around looked at the child in confusion.

InuYasha slowly walked toward the pup and turned her to look at him.

"Jii-chan Inuko?" he asked her. "Who are you talking about?"

InuYasha felt an irrational sense of fear and panic that someone had been close to his pup and he hadn't known.

Inuko looked up at InuYasha with big brown and golden eyes and simply answered.

"Your daddy silly." The adults all froze. The Great Dog Lord had been dead for over a hundred years he couldn't have possibly have had any contact with the child.

Sesshomaru kneeled before the girl who smiled at him serenely.

"This Jii-chan what did he look like?" the Daiyokai asked.

Inuko cocked her head to one side and looked at the cold demon curiously. Didn't he know what his own daddy looked like?

"He looked like Daddy but his hair was up like aunty Sango's."

The demon looked to Sango who had her hair up in a ponytail since the day had been unseasonably warm.

"He had a tail like yours except it was two and on both his shoulders. He was really nice and he played with me and told me about my grandma."

Sesshomaru was stunned though he didn't show it. The pup had describe his father perfectly and he looked to InuYasha.

"Did you see this man little brother?" he asked. InuYasha looked up and growled.

"Do you think I would have missed someone like that talking to my pup?"

Of course he would have noticed if someone he didn't know had been around his child and he sure would have noticed someone that looked like what Inuko described.

Inuko looked up at her father and his brother and laughed.

"Jii-chan in Heaven sillies. He visited me in my dreams." The brothers looked at one another and then InuYasha looked to his pack.

Sango, Miroku, and Shippo were speechless where as Kikyo looked thoughtful.

Sesshomaru looked behind him to Rin who was standing behind him.

"Rin take the pup into the miko and see she is fed and taken care of. I must talk to InuYasha and his pack alone."

Rin smiled and skipped over to Inuko. She took the child's hand and led her inside followed by Jaken.

"Come on Inu-chan let's get some dinner." Inuko frowned and looked back to InuYasha.

"But I thought I was going to see mommy." She whimpered.

InuYasha smiled at her soothing her fears.

"Its late pup we'll go in the morning. Now go inside and let the old hag feed you."

Once the children were inside Sesshomaru opened the note and read it over.

InuYasha curious at what the note said glared at his brother before he growled.

"Well what the hell does it say?" he snapped.

Sesshomaru merely put the note in his kimono and kept his face expressionless as always.

"None of your concern… yet." He then turned away and called for his vassela and charge.

"Rin, Jaken I am leaving you two will stay here until I return." The imp and human girl nodded as their Lord walked out of the village

"Oi hang on a minute!" InuYasha yelled. "You just gonna leave 'em here!"

Sesshomaru looked back.

"They are under your protection until I return."

InuYasha growled as he realized he had just been stuck being babysitter for his brother's followers.

_Damned bastard._

And with that InuYasha and his friends entered the hut for dinner and settled down for the night.

As Inuko cuddled with Kirara and Shippo in her sleep InuYasha found himself wondering if it was possible that his daughter could have actually spoken with his father while she slept and if she was doing it now.

* * *

><p>Once in the forest Sesshomaru turned into a ball of light and shot into the sky leaving his brother's village behind. As he flew his mind when to his father and the instructions he left with his mother when he died.<p>

_When the time comes break the seal._

That was all Sesshomaru had been told and he had never thought about it since his mother had told him soon after his father's death until now.

The note that Inuko gave to him had two words written on it.

_It's time._

And that was why he was making his way to his mother's palace so he could figure out just what seal his father had spoken of.

It took him half a day to make it to his mother's palace and when he landed on the first landing of his mother's sky born castle.

There were two Dog demon males and stood guard but when they saw their Lady's son they bowed.

Sesshomaru passed without uttering a word and approached his mother's couch.

The demoness smiled as she leaned forward, in her twelve layered blue kimono, as her son approached.

"Well isn't this a surprise. My beloved son, come to visit his mother."

Sesshomaru gave a canine like huff at his mother's dramatic tone. She had always been one for theatrics.

"I am here for information mother." He said as she stood just out of her reach.

The female inu tilted her head to one side, her silver locks shifting to frame her elegant face.

"Oh?" she purred. "And what sort of information do you need from me my dear child?"

Sesshomaru handed the note that Inuko gave to him to his mother. The demoness read the note and sniffed at the scent that clung to it.

"So the time has come." She said as she stood up and walked toward her son. "Who gave you this?" she asked.

Sesshomaru eyed her but answered without hesitation.

"A hanyo pup. InuYasha's pup to be exact." His mother frowned as she walked toward her couch again.

"So your father's bastard had a pup of his own hm." She looked at the note once more. "Hm, well I suppose if he says its time then its time."

The mistress of the west reclined on her couch and looked to her son.

"Go to your father's grave in the demon graveyard between this world and next. Somewhere on his armor is a seal break it."

Sesshomaru listened and once she was done he asked her simply.

"Why?"

She shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't know he never told me what would happen when the seal was broken only that you could do it with the Tenseiga."

Sesshomaru turned and prepared to leave when his mother asked him a question.

"So does your father have a grandson or granddaughter?" she asked softly.

Sesshomaru looked back and answered with no emotion.

"The pup is a girl. She was mothered by a powerful miko." Then he turned into his ball of light and shot back into the sky toward the Gate in the Land of Fire and to his father's grave.

* * *

><p>The next morning after they returned to the village InuYasha walked through the forest while holding Inuko's hand in his own toward the well. Through out their journey InuYasha could feel dread building in his heart.<p>

_What if the well won't let us through? _ He wondered. _I mean hell how do I know the damn thing didn't decide to seal its self up after Inuko came through?_

The hanyo looked down to his daughter who was skipping at his side chanting.

"I'm gonna see mommy, I'm gonna see mommy."

InuYasha smiled at the innocent little thing he help to create and found himself wondering what she would have been like had she grown up in the feudal era instead of at the shrine in the modern age.

His thoughts we cut short when the well cam into sight and the hanyo gently pulled his pup to him.

Turning her to face him, InuYasha looked into the child's eyes as the irrational fear of being separated from her came to mind. She had been with him only a week and it was only three of those seven days that he had known the truth about her.

_I don't think I'll be able to handle it if she's taken from me._ InuYasha thought as he looked it eyes that mirrored his own except they were brown in stead of the navy blue of his human night.

"Inuko," he whispered as he pulled the toddler to him. "No matter what happens pup I want you to know that I love you and your Mama more then anything alright?"

Inuko pulled from her father's embrace and smiled angelically.

"Silly Koinu nothing bad is going to happen Jii-chan said so."

InuYasha slightly flinched. He didn't like the thought of his pup speaking with a dead man even in her dreams. But he smiled at her and nodded his head, pretending that he felt just as at ease as she seemed to.

He picked the girl up then stood and prepared to leap into the well as he had countless times before and after it sealed. He took a deep breath and sent up a quick prayer that the well would let them through, though no god had ever listened to his prayers before, and jumped.

As they fell through the air the force of his momentum snapping their hair and clothes out behind them, InuYasha tightened his hold on Inuko so if this went badly he'd take the brunt of the impact and his precious girl would be unharmed.

Suddenly there was a cool feeling and InuYasha suddenly found himself and Inuko surrounded by the black and blue of time travel. Inuko's laughter drew her father's stunned attention as she watched in wonder and the lights around he.

When the light faded InuYasha looked up and felt his heart leap. He saw no sky but the ceiling of the well house at the Higurashi shrine.

With a big smile on his face he jumped from the well's depths and landed on the ground by the old well. He gently sat Inuko on her feet and she happily took off, checking periodically that her father was following her.

"Come on Daddy I want to show you mine and Mommy's room!" she said as she opened the door and InuYasha followed her into the courtyard.

As Inuko made her way toward her families house she caught the scent of dust and herbs and shot toward the from courtyard. InuYasha followed his pup closely as she turned a corner.

"Jii-chan!" Inuko shouted as she eagerly ran for her mother's grandfather who turned around and stared in shock.

Inuko hugged the elder Higurashi around his waist and as he trembled he picked her up and hugged her.

"Inuko?" he asked and the little girl smiled. "Yeah Jii-chan it's me and look I found daddy!"

Grandpa Higurashi looked back toward the well house and saw the hanyo that his granddaughter loved with all her heart and soul standing there.

"Inu-InuYasha?" he asked as he shuffled toward him while still holding his great grandchild. "Is that really you lad?"

InuYasha unfroze and moved toward his mate's grandfather and nodded.

"Yeah old man, it's me. They well finally opened." The old man had tears flowing down his withered old cheeks as he reached out to touch the hanyo as if to see if he was real.

"Thank kami," he said. "Maybe now my granddaughter and great granddaughter will be safe.

InuYasha tilted his head. "Its been that bad huh? The accidents I mean."

Gramps looked a little surprised that he already knew of the misfortune that had befallen Kagome and her daughter but he shook his head.

"They are no accidents, a demon has been tormenting Kagome and Inuko since the child was born."

InuYasha narrowed his eyes and looked around and then back to the old human man.

"Come," gramps said as he patted the hanyo's arm. "Lets go inside for some tea and I'll explain everything and maybe when Hikari comes back from getting Souta from school we'll all go to the hospital to see Kagome."

InuYasha nodded and followed the elderly man though he was more anxious to see his mate but he also wanted to hear exactly what had been happening to his family when he wasn't there to keep them safe.

* * *

><p>Voila I hope you all enjoyed this chapter please review.<p>

I do not own InuYasha and Co.


	10. Awake

Chapter Ten: Awake

Sobo- Grandmother

Oji- Uncle

* * *

><p>As InuYasha walked into the kitchen of the Higurashi home he felt nostalgia as memories of the times he had sat the table and ate dinner with his mate and her family skittered across his memory. He had always felt at home here.<p>

As he looked around he could see how the home had stayed the same but at the same time he could see the little changes.

In the living room there were children's movies and other little things that proved his daughter had lived here all her life.

"Daddy," InuYasha looked down to see Inuko smiling up at him. "Come see my room." InuYasha smiled as he felt a light tug at his heart but it was Grampa Higurashi that answered the child.

"He'll come see your room in a minute child." He said kindly. "Why don't you go play and let the adults talk, hm?" Inuko pouted at her great grandfather but relented as she ran to the bedroom she shared with her mother.

"Come sit down with an old man." InuYasha followed the elderly man to the kitchen and took the same seat he always had, the one right next to Kagome's chair.

Gramps chuckled as the hanyo took his customary seat at their table as he brought over the warm tea he promised.

"What's so funny old man?" InuYasha snapped.

"Its remarkable how alike you and Inuko are." The old man said as he sipped his tea. "You she won't let anyone else sit there. She very possessive of her mother."

InuYasha blinked then smirked.

"She seems to take after Kagome more then me." he said and the old man laughed.

"You haven't made her mad yet. No she's a lot like you. She likes high places, and she can't stand to be away from Kagome, and she's quite fearless." A sad look crossed the human's face. "Well almost fearless."

InuYasha's ear twitched as he cocked his head to the side.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

Grampa Higurashi took a deep breath as he began to explain the strange occurrences that have been happening since Kagome returned to the modern era almost four years ago.

"It started as little things. Like a moved stool or end table Kagome even nearly fell down the stairs once when she was a few weeks short of giving birth to Inuko. But then after the baby was born things got worst."

InuYasha looked down at his hands as he listened to the old man's story.

"Kagome had Inuko here at the house, in her bedroom in fact. When Inuko was a few weeks old Kagome woke up to see some kind of shadow reaching into the baby's cradle and she said she used her powers to drive it away but after that things only got worst. Kagome has had to go the hospital more then I can count but she was happy to do it as long as her little Koinu didn't get hurt. This last time Kagome was driving her mother's car to run errands and the breaks failed. They got hit and Kagome cover Inuko to keep her from getting hurt. Kagome hit her head and she hasn't woken up yet."

InuYasha felt his demon rage as he heard of his mate being harmed and his pup being threatened. It made him want to shred something. This was my family and someone was hurt them and damn it I wasn't having it anymore!

"Daddy?" Inuko's voce brought me from my dark thoughts and I looked into her trusting eyes. "Are we going to see mommy soon?"

InuYasha reached down and held the child in his lap as he answered her.

"Yeah pup as soon as your Sobo and Oji get here."

Inuko began to clap happily.

"I love Souta-oji! He always plays with me." she then smiled at her Jii-chan. "I missed you and Sobo and Oji, Jii-chan. And I miss mommy."

The old man smiled as he reached over patted her head.

"I know little one we missed you too." He then stood up and went the fridge. He brought over a juice box that Inuko happily took it and drank from the straw.

"You're home now and your father's here too so everything is going to be alright."

Inuko smiled.

It was then when InuYasha heard the door open and close.

"Alright Souta let's find Grampa and we'll go see Kagome."

Inuko jerked her head toward the voice and jumped from her father's lap.

"SOBO!" she ran toward the door and InuYasha got up to follow her. As he came into the hall he was met with Kagome's mother and brother wrapped around Inuko.

"Oh my baby," Hikari Higurashi said as she cupped her granddaughter's face to look at her. "We were so worried where on earth did you go?"

Inuko looked back and smiled. "I went to see daddy."

That was when Kagome's mother and younger brother realized that the hanyo was standing back near the kitchen with the elder Higurashi.

"Inu-onii-chan!" Souta shouted happily as he ran and threw his arms around the hanyo's waist.

InuYasha smirked as he put his hand on the kid's head.

"Hey runt," he said. "You've gotten big haven't you?" Souta had tears in his eyes as he smiled up at his hero, his big brother.

"Yup," he said. "I'm turning twelve next month."

InuYasha smiled then looked up to his mother in law. She had tears falling freely down her cheeks and the hanyo felt the desire to comfort the woman.

Before he could move the older woman pulled him into her for a hug.

"We have missed you so much InuYasha. Welcome back." The hanyo smiled and hugged her back.

"Its- its good to be back."

"Sobo, Sobo are we going to see mommy now?" the human woman smiled down and picked the pup up.

"Yes my darling we are. She's still asleep so you want be able to talk to her yet but the doctors say she should wake up soon."

The building called a hospital smelled like sick people and death. The scent put InuYasha on edge as he followed Kagome's family through the hall toward Kagome's room.

The only thing keeping him from fidgeting due to his nerves was the feel of his daughter's hand wrapped around his fingers. He glanced down and noticed that Inuko didn't seem to like the place anymore then her father and that made the hanyo more determined to act as if nothing was wrong.

They came to Kagome's door just as a man in a white coat stepped out. He had black hair and brown eyes and a handsome face. At first InuYasha wanted to snarl at a strange male that had been his injured mate's room but Mama Higurashi's words kept him from attacking.

"Doctor Yamamoto how is she?"

The doctor smiled at the worried family as he answered.

"Well Mrs. Higurashi I'm very happy to inform you that your daughter is finally awake."

* * *

><p>Short but done. Please review if you want to know what happens next!<p>

Rumiko Takahashi owns InuYasha and Co.


	11. InuYasha and Kagome Reunited

Chapter Eleven: Kagome and InuYasha Reunited

InuYasha felt himself shake as he followed his mate's mother into the hospital room. This would be the first time in four years he had seen Kagome and he was a little worried about how she would receive him. Either she missed him or she though he had betrayed her like he had thought of her.

InuYasha looked down at the miniature hanyo holding his hand.

_Either way, _He thought. _I won't lose my family._

As soon as the half demon entered the room he was smothered by the scent of his mate. Her sweet scent of roses and fruit both calmed and excited his demon. She was his female and he would never let her out of his sight again. InuYasha was also pleased to find that Kagome's scent was still lightly laced with his own. Even four years later the scent of her mated status would never fully disappear unless she took another to her bed, which obviously hadn't happened.

When InuYasha finally looked up to see Kagome he froze. She was talking to her mother and hadn't yet noticed him but InuYasha had a clear view of the side of the young woman's face. It was black and blue and she had what looked like stitches on her forehead.

_Kage no Omo is going to pay for this! _ InuYasha thought angrily. How dare someone cause such harm to her!

"MOMMY!" Inuko squealed as she released her father and ran to her mother.

Kagome turned her head to see her daughter when the small child called her name only to freeze. There was InuYasha the half demon she had fallen in love with and had had a child with standing and staring at her with cold yellow eyes but once he realized Inuko and released him he shook the dark look from his face and merely stood back to observe.

"Mommy I went to see where daddy lives. It's so cool! And I met uncle Miroku and aunty Sango and granny Kaede and Shippo and Mister Fluffy!"

Kagome finally managed to pull her attention from the half demon male to her child and she smiled gently.

"Slow down Koinu." She said. "It sounds like you had quit the adventure with daddy."

Kagome looked up shyly as she uttered daddy and she saw InuYasha's face brighten and glow with fatherly pride.

"Kagome," The young mother looked to her own mother.

"I think you and InuYasha need to talk. We'll take Inuko down to the cafeteria for some lunch." Kagome nodded her head and kissed her little girl's hair before relinquishing her to her mother.

"Be good baby and we'll see you soon."

Inuko smiled at her mother and hugged her father as she passed him. InuYasha gently pet the girl's head and then sent her off with her grandmother though his instincts warred with his trust of his mate's pack.

As soon as the two were alone InuYasha approached the bed and took his mate in his arms and held her tight.

"Kagome," he whispered as he held her to his chest. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you, both of you."

Kagome pulled away to look at her lover's face and smiled softly.

"It couldn't have been helped InuYasha. The well closed it wasn't your fault."

InuYasha growled as his hold tightened on his wounded mate.

"I shouldn't have let you come home by yourself I should have insisted that I go with you!"

Kagome pulled completely from his hold and took the half demon's face in her hands.

"InuYasha listen to me. You cannot blame yourself for any of this because it wasn't you that closed the well and it wasn't you that has tried to kill me and Inuko."

InuYasha closed his eyes and, knowing that any other words of self blame or self loathing would only upset the injured woman, he relented.

"I wonder why the well closed anyway." Kagome murmured as InuYasha settled down next to her. He wanted to tell her but he didn't want her to hate his mother either. From what she had told him in his dream she loved Kagome like a daughter.

_I can't hide this from her. It'll come up sooner or later._

So taking a deep breathe he answered Kagome's whispered question.

"My mother did it."

Kagome looked to the man that was settled against her side in surprise.

"You're mother? But InuYasha, your mother is dead." Kagome wasn't sure if InuYasha had lost his mind or if something serious had happened in her absence.

"It was her spirit. An enemy of father's has been the one trying to hurt you and our pup. Mother had sealed the well to protect you but the damned bastard managed to live until this time."

"I see." She whispered and leaned into her mate's warmth. "I hope she knows how grateful I am that she tried."

InuYasha felt such a feeling of relief that he let out a soft sigh. His mother had always been very important to him and he desperately wanted the mother of his child to have positive feelings for the deceased princess.

"There's something else." InuYasha said. Kagome looked up to see InuYasha eyeing her as if he were wondering how to tell her what he had on his mind.

"Inuko," he started. "She's been having dreams about my father, apparently he visits her dreams and keeps nightmares at bay."

Kagome giggled as she nodded. "Well that would explain it." InuYasha raised an eyebrow in question.

"No matter what happens during the day, Inuko has never had a nightmare. Once she told me that she had a dream of a giant white dog playing with her in a meadow. I thought it was just a little girl's imagination or maybe her demon side but maybe it was actually your father protecting her."

InuYasha nodded as he accepted the explanation for now. He had never had his father when he was a pup and he was happy that his daughter had the Great Demon to at the very least keep her dreams safe.

As time went on the two talked about the past three years, though InuYasha managed to avoid mentioning Kikyo joining their group. He knew he wouldn't be able to keep it from her but he wanted to hold off the pain that mention the undead miko always seemed to cause his mate.

"I made a baby book for Inuko, I thought you'd like to look at it. I'll have mama get it for you tonight when you all go home."

InuYasha blinked. "Go home, what are you talking about wench I'm staying right here with you." The very thought of leaving the young woman in his arms terrified him. He had already thought he had lost her once before and he didn't want the chance to loose her for real.

Kagome tilted her head. "I'll be alright here. The doctors and nurses will take care of me, besides don't you want to go home with Inuko?"

InuYasha shook his head stubbornly. "The pup can stay here with us. I'm not leaving either of you. Its too dangerous." Kagome bit her lip as she looked toward the door that their daughter and left through a few minutes ago.

"InuYasha I don't think a hospital is the best place for a three year old. I'll-"

"No!" InuYasha snarled and his eyes flashed red. "I won't leave you injured and unprotected and I don't want Inuko away from me either, not until the demon threating her is dead!"

Kagome sighed and nodded. She always knew that if InuYasha ever met Inuko he would be very over protective of her and Kagome shuddered to think of how he would have been if he had been around when she was pregnant.

"Alright InuYasha. If that's what you want." InuYasha nodded confirming his mate's statement.

"And when you're healed I want you and the pup to come to my era. It's where you both belong after all."

Kagome smiled again and agreed. "I'm sure mama won't mind looking after Inuko when we go looking for Jewels. Is Naraku still alive?"

InuYasha folded his arms and scowled. "Yeah the bastard's still alive. He's been in hiding for almost two years now." The hanyo then glanced toward Kagome to see her biting her thumbnail as she worried.

"I won't let anything hurt you Kagome, you or Inuko." Kagome looked up and nodded her head with a small smile.

Just then the door opened and Inuko ran in straight to InuYasha who scooped the girl up and held her as she giggled happily.

"Everything okay in here?" Kagome's mother asked as she eyed her daughter.

Kagome smiled at her mom and nodded. "Yeah we're okay, mama, can you bring Inuko a change of clothes and her blanket? InuYasha wants to stay here tonight and he's a little nervous about Inuko being at home without him."

Kagome's mother nodded in agreement. The elder Higurashi woman knew all to well how protective the half demon could be and she figured he would have only been fiercer about his own child's safety.

"I can do that."

Kagome smiled. "Thanks mom."

* * *

><p>That night InuYasha settled himself on the window seat of Kagome's hospital room as Inuko cuddled up to her mother in the bed.<p>

InuYasha would have liked nothing more then to be in that bed to but it was too narrow and he wanted his mate and pup to be as comfortable as they could be.

As his family slept InuYasha kept watch in the night and he couldn't have been happier.

* * *

><p>AN: Sorry for the long delay. Work has been very draining lately but Spring break is next week and I won't have to do nothing but write and watch anime!

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please leave me a nice little review.

Rumiko Takahashi owns InuYasha. Me nothing... well maybe Inuko and Kage no Omo.


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